


Count on it

by Vincere_Orbe



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Humor, KuroKen - Freeform, M/M, Romance, dilemma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-02
Updated: 2015-07-02
Packaged: 2018-04-07 09:23:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4258050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vincere_Orbe/pseuds/Vincere_Orbe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since they were young, Kuroo believed that all cats were girls and teasing others was skill worth developing. If only all that stayed in the past. After enduring many years of Kuroo's teasing, Kenma thinks there's a way to get back at him which involves winning a certain bet. Kuroo thinks it won't happen while Kenma thinks quite the opposite. Who will be the victor?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Count on it

**Hello! This is Vincere Orbe! Thank you for choosing to read this fic of mine! Can you guess what the bet is by the end of the chapter? Without further ado... hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: A Certain Cat's Day**

I let half of my right eye open to scout out the space like the blurry lens of a sniper gun that hung around the mist for too long. Judging by the bright orange glow from the curtains it was morning. My eyes blinked dryly and the rest of me kept the same face down and pillow hugging position it was in for the past four hours.

Here it comes, seven o' clock from where I am.

"Kenma-chan~ Wake up~! You have to leave early today!" Mom called from behind the door.

That was the first warning the next one would incorporate mom coming in to tear the curtains opens and kill my retinas with the sheer force of sunlight. Not a good move. Maybe I'll be lucky today and morning wake-up call b would come again instead. I closed my eyes. The muffled tick of the clock continued, droned out for a moment and then became vibrant again as lapsed back to sleep. Morning wake-up call b isn't going to come.

I slid a hand from the covers, unplugged phone or P.S.P (which ever was closer) and retracted myself into the covers to avoid the sun rays. The LED screen of the P.S.P lit up to remind me that I forgot to close the Halo game. Augh, the Rainforest warfare level is too long…

"Kenma! Wake up!" Then there was the swoosh of the curtains being dragged open. The second warning went off.

My covers were pulled off in one fell swoop.

The bonus third warning also went off.

**XXX**

I tapped the skill in cool down mood rhythmically, a habit I acquired. The meter filled and the newer, more powerful skill launched at the dragons. Yes… double kill. Now to level up…

"Kenma…."

I stopped my descent down the stairs hearing mom's slightly annoyed tone. Good the character leveled up, now to enhance that spell…

"Are you going to look like that again today?" Good, this armor is the best special drop.

"Yeah, the uniform is new." I spared a quick precious glance from the game at myself.

"If you're going to wear a boy's uniform at least try to act more like Kuroo-kun…" Hmm… wrong move. Maybe adding the silent ghost powder would've been a better idea for levelling. Mom was just complaining again because I wasn't wearing the school blazer. The thing made me look awkward, too big and clumsy. I finished the rest of the stairs while still leveling up the new armour.

I paused the game for a bit to eat.

"Kenma, you better eat faster." I nodded. Mom gave me an extra piece of fish, contradicting with herself.

I smiled at the gesture which at least seemed to calm something inside her. Before I could finish it the doorbell sounded for the arrival of morning wake-up call b. Mom hurried over to the door while I tried to finish the fish at least.

"Ah! Good morning Kuroo-kun! It's great to see you again!" Mom greeted him happily.

"Good morning to you ma'am, you look better than you were yesterday." Kuroo smiled.

Kuroo… was always a bit of a suck up.

His eyes moved to me. His brows arched a bit and beckoned me to go. My school bag and all were already at the door waiting. With P.S.P in hand and lunch I shuffled over. Kuroo watched the process of me putting on shoes and retrieving my bag just to release a large grin when I stood up and un-paused my game.

"You forgot your gym bag."

I blinked twice, paused the game, kicked off the shoes and shuffled upstairs. Snickers and thanks were exchanged in whispers behind while I hurried up the stairs. It was… unnerving.

* * *

"You know it's the dejected look that your mom is worried about…" Kuro uttered as if to no one in particular.

If he has something to say then just spill it out already… I huddled over the game console a little more as we walked and launching attacks at the boss quicker than before. Unconsciously, I jumped a little seeing a rare drop flash on the screen. There was disbelief at first but then my focus changed to saving the game and optimizing this one in a million drops. First the strength, then the magic, hmm since its legendary there should be some special stat—

"…!"

Kuro pinched the side of my arm to pull me away from a narrow miss with the mailbox that was coming up ahead.

"Sorry did I get skin?" He asked.

"No…" I quickly went back to the P. S. P screen. I should've been able to see that. I was relying on Kuro again much to my mother's disappointment…

"Like I said, don't look so dejected. You're thinking and worrying too much." Kuro reiterated giving my head a quick pat.

"I'm not dejected…" I denied, but I knew where he was getting at.

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not…"

"Well if it's not being dejected then you're definitely being unnecessarily depressing."

"I'm not depressing." I winced messing up a combo for the last hit which required twice the amount of extra clicking to replace it.

"Then gloomy."

"I'm not."

"Crestfallen."

"They're all just synonyms." I glared up at Kuro who wore a petulant smile.

"Looks like your vocabulary isn't half bad." Kuro snickered.

He was ignored.

This was Kuroo Tetsuro, at his very typical state too. A sneering tease by day and night. He wasn't this mischievous way back but time does things to people and with Kuro he developed a nice knack of pushing other's buttons. His best ones to push were always mine. But knowing him, he would probably disappear somewhere distracted by something soon.

Glancing up from the game, Kuro had gone a few steps ahead to crouch by a cardboard box and was looking over his shoulder waiting for me to join him. Judging by his ever present smirk there was something interesting in the box.

"Kenma look." Kuroo stated reaching into the box to produce a white cat sprinkled with specks of chocolate over its left ear to the crest of its left eye and then randomly over the right side of its white fur. At the end of its long tail was a big drop of chocolate that was slightly darker than the rest.

Kuro really liked the cat by the way he presented the little one to me, holding it by the armpits and smiling grandly. He probably has even given it a weird name by now. But at least some good things from the young Kuro had stayed too.

"Looks like you're being well taken care of." I pointed out noticing the neatly stacked empty cans of cat food to the side of the box.

"Captain Cookie Dough isn't picky about food as long as its mackerel related." Kuro stated petting the 'Captain Cookie Dough'. The kitten rubbed its furry face all over Kuro's big hands. With me on the other hand the cat just kind of glared at me, the third wheel.

I kept my hands on the P. S. P afraid to touch it. I was never good with animals anyways. Kuro played with the cat's brown speckled paw, swinging it as if it was doing a spike with its cushioned paw. Picking a cattail, we used it as a makeshift volleyball for the kitten to hit. Getting even more accurate, Kuroo made the kitten run straight for an imaginary net to spike the cattail tossed to it by an imaginary setter to complete a "quick".

"Say, you think adding an A-quick to one the plays will be good? You know the one where we have a back set?" Kuro asked using the kitten to act out his new idea. "But instead we'll have Lev run in an s-shape and pop out at the left of the court."

I took a minute to calculate the percentage of success with the new option. Since Lev had the best physical advantage beyond all of us, the plan would be good theoretically. But... his skill level is close to being a 1.

"No." I answered blandly.

"I think it would be a good idea. It makes a good use of decoys and tricking." Kuro stated. "Plus Lev is pretty good athletically speaking."

"Then why are you asking me Captain…"

"Cause you're the brain, also this is good chance to work on the coordination with you and Lev too. It'll fit in great with the training schedule as well, there's at least three extra blocks of just setting and hitting practice for the two of you this week."

The thought of extra practice was gross… practice with that arrogant giant child… ew. I don't want to practice with him.

Kuro smirked.

**XXX**

"Are you going to survive the day?" Kuro teased at the shoe lockers.

"It's just like any other…."I muttered half-heartedly focusing on the battle. I really wanted to beat this boss before the bell and maybe do some grind training too...

Just before branching away into different hallways Kuro dragged me a little closer.

"Better not run into anything else~ I can't always be there to cover for you~"

I let out a groan and walked towards class. Is he still going at it? The unnecessary teasing just cost me a 250 HP loss. A potion should be plenty…

Ugh…! There goes another 100… Maybe an elixir would be better. Where is that fairy dust one…?

...

Later in the day, my P.S.P was replaced with a cardboard box filled with bright red jerseys and pylons due to the guilt of glaring at the sheepish class rep. But it was his fault for ruining the extra chain bonus, the special drop for that battle was worth a lot…

"Someone interrupted your gaming didn't they and you glared at them?" I also glared at Kuro when he swooped in beside me in the hallway. It was a spot on guess. "Here let me get that for you." Kuro offered and switched the box with black bag that was heavier.

"Where ya heading to?" he asked.

"The school storage, extra jerseys for the sports festival."

"Ah, the sports festival is around the corner ain't it? Thinking about a new way to squirm out of it?" Kuro smirked looking at my sour expression. Another spot on guess.

Kuro crossed his arms behind his cowlick and spike filled bedhead

"Ah… Looks like this is my last one in high school." Kuro commented.

"You sound like an old man…"

He's been saying 'last this' and 'last that' every day since the New Year started. It was annoying.

"What I sound preachy? Kenma-kun, don't you think it's long past your time to find you other half…?" Kuro stroked an imaginary beard and coughed after faking the raspy voice.

"Now you just sound like some neighborhood gossip granny." I told him blatantly.

* * *

"Good practice today boys! Rest well tonight and make sure to be sleeping by yerselves hahahaha!" The coach laughed endlessly at his own joke while Kuro gathered everyone again.

We hunched over and all fists were in.

"We are the body's blood- flow smoothly and circulate oxygen so the brain functions normally." We chanted and then broke off with Taketora yelling loudly off to the distance and the rest all pumped up for clean-up.

Kuro always looked at me after the chant and today his ever present smirk was wider than usual. He was aware of how weird I thought the chant was. Why did he have to do it again at the end practice anyways… Is it some kind of punishment? Just because I refused to do a second practice cycle with Lev. Lev is annoying to work with just like a character that takes too much experience points and special items to level up with stats that barely go up every a little more, I sauntered over to help with the nets. Practices were great, at certain moments.

Making a weird sound because of my shirt collar hitting my trachea, someone dragged me backwards by tugging on the tag of my shirt.

"Go change first again Kenma." Kuro told me looking down from above. "Don't worry about clean-up, we'll have Lev doing double for failing to get at least 40% of the tosses and pissing off Yaku with receives again."

"Hey! My spikes were magnificent, the best!" Lev yelled from the opposite side of the court.

"Get on with it or we'll add in three laps to it!" Kuro called back while the rest of the team snickered under their breath. Kuro looked down on me again with a softer smirk and motioned me to go.

"Don't forget to wait for me by the doors." he added on. I waved it off. It was the same old thing, it's not like I've never not waited for him by the doors. I closed the doors to the change room.

"Kenma-san, sure gets tired easily." Inuoka commented to Yaku while throwing a ball into the bin.

"The brain does need the most rest compared to all the other parts of the body." Kuroo explained coming up behind the brown haired boy. Inuoka flinched and zipped his mouth.

"Well Lev was never an easy person to work. His basic skills are non-existent except for that big mouth of his and that lil' runt always— " Yaku's ranting began.

Kuroo peered over to the closed change room doors. Kenma did seem a lot tired than usual, maybe two practice was too much. He seemed a little angry too.  _How to make it up to Kenma later…_  Kuroo mused scratching his neck.

* * *

Bidding everyone goodbye and a safe trip home, Kuro and I left the school gym. Kuro opened the door for me while I continued the chain attack on the Bat Wing Dragon. This guy was weak. It was still light enough outside that toddlers road their bikes without care and others hung around the playground. Kuro was watching them in a weird amusement.

"Wanna go get a snack for old time's sake?" Kuro asked shifting ever smirking face to me.

I nodded. Yes, there goes the last bit of health on the Bat Wing Dragon.

It was an old routine that the two of us had since we were young. Going out to play volleyball in the small open space beside the playground and then getting popsicles before going home. Kuro always got the melon milk one while I munched on the apple soda one just like now except we were heading back to the park we passed before.

Kuro sat on the metal swirly slide with his treat while I leaned against the low faded gymnastic bars. He tapped against the metal absently with only his second and third finger. I glanced over to Kuro who watched the kids run around while lost in thought, and it wasn't volleyball related I could tell. I paused the game to take in the context of the place.

"It must be nice being kids..." Kuro sighed. I blinked at the unusual motion. "So energetic and young and blunt."

He's fine.

I returned to the game again, he's just sounding like an old man again... I wonder if I'll be like that too when I become a third year.

"What d'you they're betting over there." Kuro snickered.

My eyes drifted to the mixed group of 3 girls and boys chatting quickly in the small open space. Judging by the glances a few of them stole at us, it was probably popsicles. Seems like it's the melon flavored one that was in Kuro's hand too.

"I don't know." I lied taking out a whole line of enemy defense in the game.

"Bets were sure fun back then weren't they?" Kuro commented.

"I think you still enjoy them now." I replied without hesitating.

For instance, getting Taketora to do a headstand for three minutes to show his affection for Karsuno's manager, have Lev try to serve a defected volleyball straight for 2 hours, convincing the spiker of Fukurodani to play a stacked game of cards with the penalty of doing an hour long wall sit. I think you had a lot of fun smiling at your blackmail photos.

"Say, do still remember the prize for that bet back in grade 1? Well it was grade 1 for me." Kuro asked.

"That's pretty long ago..."

OH...

Kuro stared at the white letters of nekoma written down the side of my sweats.

"Yeah... I do, it was for a lifetime supply of games if I won." My voice getting smaller as the words went by.

"When it comes to games, your memory is sure on point." Kuro uttered.

"Not really..." My were adverted, studying the dirt or anything else but the topic. This bet...

"I can't believe you were serious about it though you know, even until now." He continued. I had to think of a really good answer while the lighter air still hung around us.

"The prize... was tempting."

I tried.

"Then are you going to keep dressing like a guy until we call it quits?" Kuro asked eyeing my uniform. "Just how much do you like your games?"

"..." I just looked away nervously. My mental answer was 'I liked my games a lot' while the words "THIS IS BAD" flashed along with it.

I heard Kuro sigh again and watched him lean back against the metal slide.

This bet we made... If I was able to convince everyone around me that I was a guy then I would win. On the other hand if Kuro was able to convince everyone the opposite it would be his win. But for the sake of being "nice", we (he) decided that it's only if I tripped up and got exposed that he would win. Kuro wanted bragging rights and a good laugh.

"Let's make this the last year." Kuro stated. "Judging by how worried your mother always looked we should end it soon."

"Whatever you decide..." I mumbled.

"I'll win the bet somehow, just you watch." Kuro sneered looking at the oranging sky.

I didn't answer him and kept my eyes adverted.

Little did Kuro know, I've already won the bet since the very beginning.

* * *

**Chapter 1 complete~!**

**Please let me know what you think about the fic so far in the comments!**

**Thank you for reading and hopefully you'll be back for chapter 2~!**

**~Vince**


End file.
